Contributor

Beverly Hall, Superintendent, Atlanta Public Schools

When Dr. Beverly L. Hall, Ed.D., became the 15th appointed superintendent of the Atlanta Public Schools on July 1, 1999, she promised to transform the district into a world-class school system, using nationally proven reform models, facility upgrades, strategic community support and business operations redesign. Under her leadership, standardized test scores have risen, aging facilities have been renovated and a new blueprint for business operations is being implemented. As a result, Hall was named the 2009 National Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators, the top professional honor for a K-12 education leader in the United States.

Prior to her current position, Hall was state district superintendent of the Newark Public Schools, the largest school district in New Jersey. Before then, she served as deputy chancellor and in various executive, district and building-level leadership roles in New York City Public Schools, where she began her career as an English teacher. Hall chairs Harvard University's Urban Superintendents Program Advisory Board, mentoring participants in the doctoral program. In addition, she serves on the International Benchmarking Advisory Group, which works to ensure that all American students receive a world-class education. And she was a member of the Teaching Commission, which developed policy recommendations to address the country's teaching crisis.

Upon completing a high school education in her native country of Jamaica, West Indies, Hall immigrated to the United States, where she earned a Doctor of Education from Fordham University. A lifelong learner, Hall continues to undertake research and professional development in order to maintain a high-quality, innovative and adaptable education environment for all children.